New Additions
by Zelda Ophelia
Summary: As the Weasley family prepares to welcome their newest member they try to deal with the newest threat. For cedarlibrarian in the 2nd HP genficathon; reposted from LJ.


Arthur Weasley knew that most wizards didn't approve of his and Molly's ever expanding family. He had been given his share of grief over it and even though Molly never mentioned it he knew that more than once she'd been stopped in Diagon Alley by matronly old witches who felt it their purpose to remind her that dignified witches only had one, never more than two children. The fact that their brood was being born into a war torn society only made it worse in the eyes of some. No parent, or so they thought, should be so irresponsible as to put a newly born child in such danger. As far as Arthur was concerned, however, most of the time he wouldn't have it any other way. His family, his children were his life and an ever-present reminder as to what he and the other members of the Order of Phoenix were fighting for.

Right now, however, the most prominent thought on his mind was the fact his family was in danger. Oh, they'd always been in some form of danger since coming out as supporters of Dumbledore and the Ministry against You-Know-Who, but now it was even worse. Now Dumbledore was sitting so calmly opposite the kitchen table from him and Molly, casually offering one of the twins a jelly slug and explaining that apparently You-Know-Who had demanded that the heads of several Weasleys be handed over to him. Separated from their shoulders, or so Arthur assumed. Gripping Molly's hand tightly under the table, he took a deep breath.

"Us? But why?" Molly asked quietly, her free hand gently rubbing her enlarged stomach. Their next little one was due any day now, now another little one whose life he now feared for even more than ever. Silently asking whatever Weasley's long gone that were listening to look over their little boy, he echoed Molly's quizzical look to Albus.

"She's right," Arthur spoke up. "It isn't like we're anyone important. We aren't rich or influential and I'm not in a significant position at the Ministry, why target us?"

"I am afraid it is due to where your allegiances lie." Sighing, Albus patted Fred on the head as the toddler climbed into his lap before he continued. "Lord Voldemort has let it be known that anyone who opposes his particular viewpoints are to be marked for death. I'm afraid that my sources have informed me that there are several of his followers that believe with Molly's current condition and the young age of your children your family is an easy target. The murder of seven children and their parents will send a strong message to the Wizarding World."

"What do we need to do?" Arthur asked, trying to not shiver at the mention of You-Know-Who's name and picking at one of the strands of wool in the tablecloth Molly crocheted. Somehow the little distractions like that, watching as Molly continued to calmly feed Ron (they seemed to have an unspoken agreement to ignore how her hand was shaking) and how Albus gently moved Fred's grubby hands from tugging on his beard (they also ignored the sticky pink bits left from whatever candy Dumbledore had fed the boys), helped him stay calm as they discussed the impending danger.

"I would suggest strengthening the protections around the Burrow, for now, though stronger measures may be necessary in the future." He nodded at Molly as he spoke, "I'll send Moody out in the morning to do so, if you agree. He'll likely bring some of our younger friends with him to assist."

"Tell them to come early enough for a spot a breakfast," Molly insisted, expertly spooning another mouthful of porridge into the baby's mouth. "It's the least we can do for their help."

Nodding, Dumbledore smiled benevolently down at George as he grew bored with mashing his peas and piling them up on his plate and climbed into his lap as well, another set of sticky hands finding their way into his beard.

-*-*-

The stress of the situation was less than ideal for Molly, and as a soon to be seventh time father Arthur was more than aware of this. And he worried about her enough that he found himself flooing home from the Ministry on his lunch hour and over his breaks to check on her and the boys. It made for a nice respite from his typical days of wading through the aftermath of different cursed Muggle artifacts, giving him the time with his boys that he found himself needing, especially after that one case involving a cursed egg beater the day after Dumbledore's visit. He thought he never get those images out of his mind.

Today, now nearly a week later, his first thought upon returning home was that the house seemed too quiet. There wasn't any chattering from Billy and Charlie or even Percy or the twins to greet him, no calls of 'Daddy' as he stepped out of the hearth. Fearing for the worse, he hurried into the other room, looking to the grandfather clock for any clue. He was greeted with the sight of Molly stretched out on the couch, Charlie sat next to her patting her cheek as Billy held Ron at the other end and Percy played quietly with the twins in the corner.

"Molly-wobbles?" he asked quietly, leaning over and lifting Charlie into his arms. "Are you-?"

"It's time," she announced quietly, sitting up with his help and leaning against him. "They've been coming for a bit, but I knew you'd be home and I didn't want to go without you." She gave him a wan, but also proud smile. "The boys seem to have figured it out, they've been so good since I laid down for a rest after the contractions began."

"They're good boys," he said, helping her up after he set Charlie down, then scooping Ron up from Billy's arms. "Billy, Charlie, the two of you are in charge of the twins, Percy you can help. Let's get everyone into the kitchen, now. It's time to go."

With a quick stop to send a letter to his supervisor, sending Errol off with it, Arthur helped Molly to the hearth, sending his family into the floo and off to St. Mungo's to welcome the newest member into the fold.

-*-*-

Arthur found himself spending more time out in the waiting area and taking the boys to the visitor's tearoom than staying in the ward with Molly this time through, despite the number of friends and Order members that had joined them at St. Mungo's. It was comforting to know that there were not only so many there to support them, but also, as fellow members of the Order, there to protect his family as well. Regardless, no matter how close of friends they weren't family and right now the boys needed family with them. Little Ronnie cried every time someone else tried to hold him and both Billy and Charlie were keeping the twins close to them, if not in their laps. Even little Percy, who was already proving himself to be a self-sufficient little man was squeezed up close to Arthur's side. Molly understood and would send a Healer if she needed anything, but right now with the boys was where he needed to be.

The pea green room and uncomfortable orange furniture didn't provide much for six little boys to do, so Arthur, along with Emmaline Vance and Dorcas Meadows, spent a good portion of the day sitting on the floor playing games with them. Emma had proven herself to be a fair hand at transfiguration, transfiguring some of the months old magazines littering the room into a model castle, some miniature wizards and model dragons and manticores for Billy and Charlie to play with. Charlie had, of course, immediately swooped up the dragons, flying them about the castle to protect it from Billy's attacking manticores. The twins watched in interest as their older brothers played, cheering them on and clapping with amusement, until one of them reached out and tried to take a model toy from one of their older brothers. At which point it nearly all dissolved into tears and protests of 'he took my dragon' and 'he wasn't sharing', had Benjy Fenwick not arrived when he did, winking at them and sweeping the twins into his arms and spinning them about. Arthur was pretty certain Molly'd have his bits, if not Benjy's as well, if she ever found out that his best trick for keeping a set of rambunctious twins happy was levitating them in the air and whizzing them about the room.

Come to think of it, the Healer who just came in didn't seem to appreciate it too much either. Waving at Benjy to set the boys down, Arthur turned back to the young woman. "How is Molly doing?"

"Your wife is doing quite well, as is the little one." The Healer smiled as she delivered the happy news. "Congratulations, it's a girl."

He could hear Dorcas covering her snort of amusement with a cough as he automatically starting shaking his head. "You've got the wrong person."

"Mr. Weasley?" She asked, confused.

"Yes I am, but you've got the wrong family. We're having a little boy." He nodded emphatically as if to prove his point.

"Mr. Weasley, I assure you that I have the right person. Your wife gave birth to a little girl." She paused then proceeded carefully. "We do suggest that parents-to-be have their healer perform the spells to determine the baby's gender prior to birth, to help avoid... circumstances such as this."

"There was no need to," Arthur replied weakly. "We always have little boys, it's a family trait."

"Sir, it is a girl, there's no mistake there."

"But... but-" sitting down roughly on one of the uncomfortable orange chairs, Arthur tried his hardest to fathom the fact that he and Molly had a little girl. "But, we don't have a name for a girl. It was supposed to be a boy and we were going to name him Gifford for Molly's Great-Uncle." He gave the healer a bewildered look, "Now what are we going to name the baby?"

With a smile, she patted him on the shoulder and helped him out of the chair. "I'm sure that you and Mrs. Weasley can come up with something. Why don't you come with me to see her and your baby girl now, so you two can decide?"

"Of course," he said in a still somewhat dazed voice, following her out the door. "Talk with Molly. But we don't know anything about having little girls." He could be heard mumbling as the door shut behind them. "We know how to have boys, not girls."

-*-*-

It wasn't until it was time for Molly and Ginny, their newest addition who's full name was Ginevra for Arthur's Great Aunt, to return to the Burrow that Arthur had come to fully comprehend that he had a daughter. He kept expecting to find out that either Black or Potter was taking the piss at him, and that little Ginny was really little Gifford. But as it came time to go home, other things had become more important than practical jokes. Such as how to get their brood home safely considering the threat that anyone who opposed the Dark Lord was under. The hospital had been kind enough to let all of them stay there until Molly and the baby could safely return home, but now it was a question of how to get a recuperating mother and seven small children out of the hospital without an attack. He had spoken with several Order members, Alastor volunteering to secure the Burrow on the day they left with the help of Lupin and Black, to ensure that they weren't coming home to a trap. Other Order members would escort them home, to hopefully fend off an attack on the way. Still, with five adults protecting seven children, Arthur wasn't entirely comfortable and wouldn't be until they reached the Burrow.

Albus arrived as they were preparing to leave, smiling in that almost irritatingly benevolent way of his and nodding to the gathered group. "Arthur, Molly, a word before you leave."

Sharing a worried look with his wife, Arthur handed Ginny over to Emmaline before joining Dumbledore and Alice Longbottom, who had arrived with Albus, to the side. "What's wrong?" Molly asked, her eyes wide with worry.

"A trusted contact has informed me that several Death Eaters are planning an attack on your family today."

Despite only being confirmation of what they already suspected, it was still wasn't easy news to take. Squeezing Molly's hand, Arthur said, "We suspected something and are prepared. Alastor's out at the house checking up on things and we asked Emmaline, Elphias and Benjy to go with us on our way, just in case."

"Yes," Albus nodded. "Very good. However, I'd like to suggest a bit of... misdirection. I thought that perhaps you and your family would like to stay at Hogwarts for a time. I know that it isn't always easy for a new mother to take care of her baby, her house and her other children so soon after leaving the hospital. And it'd give Madam Pomfrey something to do until the students arrive. You wouldn't have to stay for long, just long enough to disappear from sight. And hopefully out of sight, out of mind."

"And maybe the Death Eaters would forget about us?" Molly asked tentatively.

"Exactly what we had in mind," Alice said with a smile. "Potter's on his way, and he was going to swing by and get Sturgis and Dedalus."

As she finished the last of the Order members arrived, James greeting them with a holler that garnered him the glare of a healer passing by. "Alice," he said with a grin, "What are you doing here without Longbottom?"

"It's his day to watch the baby," she said. "Augusta wanted us to bring Neville by, we figured he could handle it himself."

"You didn't want to miss out on the fun, eh?" he teased as the adults all gathered in a group.

"Of course not," she shot back as Albus raised his hand for their attention. Even the children stopped playing and turned to look at him.

Dumbledore nodded at Alice, who pulled seven vials from the inside of her cloak, handing them out to the Order members who had gathered to help. "As I was saying, perhaps we should try some misdirection to get the Weasleys to safety. Arthur and Molly, if you could get samples from yourselves and the children. Except for Ronald and Ginevra. The twins are old enough to speak, correct?"

Molly nodded as Alice knelt down in front of Percy, expertly tugging a single strand of his hair so fast he didn't have time to protest, instead just looking at the woman in astonishment. Arthur's eyes widened as he realized what they were planning. "Polyjuice?" he asked in a near whisper.

"Yes," Alice replied as she dropped the hair into her flask and handed it to Potter, taking Potter's flask and approaching Charlie. "As long as the people we're becoming are able to speak, we should be able to cast spells if we're attacked. And the last thing the Death Eaters will expect would be young children defending themselves."

"It's brilliant," Molly said with a grin. "But what about the babies, they're much too young."

"That's where I can help," Albus stepped in, picking up one of the copies of Witch Weekly on a nearby table and after a pause neatly transfigured it to a near exact, though unmoving, copy of Ginny. Handing the fake baby to Emmaline, Arthur thought it was, who had taken Polyjuice to look like Molly, Dumbledore took another copy of the magazine and repeated his actions for an almost realistic copy of Ron.

"There," he said in a rather tired voice, "that should be convincing enough from a distance. Of course, if someone meets you and wants to hold the baby they'll know the difference. But you'll cross that bridge when you get there."

"Wow," Arthur said quietly, at the assembled double group of Weasleys. One set of twins was making faces at the other set and while they and the two oldest boys seemed fascinated by their doubles, Percy's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to decide which set of parents to run two. Stepping over to him, Arthur slipped his free arm around his son's shoulder, patting his arm as the boy burrowed his face in his side. "Thank you, thank you for taking this risk."

"Not a problem," said one of the twins.

"It's actually rather fun," said the other.

"Can't wait to see their faces," the fake Billy said with a grin, "when they realize we aren't who they think."

"We're going to turn the tables on them for once," said the Polyjuiced Charlie, winking at the real Charlie and eliciting a giggle.

"We should go, though," said the Polyjuiced Arthur, "the sooner we leave, the sooner you can get them to safety, Albus."

"Yes, see you at Hogwarts," Polyjuiced Percy said with a wave as the two groups of Weasleys parted. It took a bit to untangle the children from the doubles, but eventually, and after a few mistaken identities, they were set right.

Molly waved at the group as they left, turning and giving Dumbledore a relieved look as the door to the room where they had been preparing closed behind them. "Thank you, Albus. This is an almost perfect plan and we had been so worried."

"Don't relax just yet, Molly." He said, looking rather solemn for a moment. "We still need to get your family to safety first. We'll give them a few minutes to lead any Death Eater watching this place astray."

"And then?" Arthur asked, shifting a tired Ron up higher on his hip.

"I know that most Healers wouldn't agree with portkeying such young children, but I've taken some precautions with this one." He held out a small hank of multicolored wool. "There are plenty of cushioning charms in place where we'll be arriving and Poppy and Minerva will be on hand to meet us."

Nodding, Molly tucked Ginny in closer to her chest and watched as Dumbledore consulted his pocket watch. Arthur found himself holding his breath until the other man snapped his watch shut and said, "Very well then. Boys, if you'll each take a hold of this," Albus began to unwind a strand of wool from the hank, holding it out for the children to grab on to. "Arthur and Molly, you too. And I don't need to say to hang onto the babies, do I?" As they shook their heads, he nodded. "I didn't believe so."

As he stood with his family, gripping the scratchy piece of wool, Arthur felt the unmistakable feeling of the Portkey taking affect. It was with relief that he realized that his family was going to be safe again as they got to know their newest addition.


End file.
